


That Fateful Night

by justtheaveragefangirl



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Gen, Happy And Sad Ending, Just a little angst, Stanford, its THAT night y’all
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-04
Updated: 2019-01-05
Packaged: 2019-10-04 09:44:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17302307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justtheaveragefangirl/pseuds/justtheaveragefangirl
Summary: Sam got accepted to Stanford. Now, he just has to tell his family.Chapter 1: Sam POVChapter 2: Dean POV





	1. Sam

**Author's Note:**

> The only reason I wrote this is because I just rewatched Dark Side Of The Moon and Dean said it was the worst night of his life, but I’ve had the story going through my head for a while.

Sam knew what his chances of getting in were. He did well on the SAT and ACT, but he wasn’t ever in one place long enough to have reliable records. He was a realist. He was probably not getting in, but he couldn’t help but check anyway. He had asked for all college letters to be sent to the school for two reasons: 1) the school can forward the mail to his new schools when he inevitably moves, and 2) John couldn't find it.

On his way to first period, he stopped by the main office to check.

"Hi, Mrs. Hendrix," he said as he walked into the room. Mrs. Allison Hendrix was easily the best person Sam had met in a long time. She was in her twenties and was married with a kid. Sam was pretty sure he was her favorite student in the school, she had even asked him to babysit once. She made sure that Sam knew she was in his corner.

"Hello, Sam," she replied, "I take it you're looking for this," she said as she handed him a letter.

"Yeah," he said as he took the letter. He looked at it and worry began to show on his face. "It's not big. Aren't acceptance letters supposed to be big?"

Sensing his anxiety on the topic, Mrs. Hendrix quickly stepped in, "Not necessarily. My college acceptance letter was just a letter. One page saying I got in."

Sam nodded. He took a deep breath and opened the letter. He was just skimming for the one word. As he read it, life felt fake because there was no way he, Sam Winchester who has never stayed in one place longer than two months, got into Stanford.

"Well," Mrs. Hendrix asked, "Are you just going to leave me hanging?"

He blinked twice and looked up before replying, "I got in."

"That's amazing, Sam! Remember you need to let them know if you will be attending the fall semester, so choose soon."

"Right."

"Now get to class. You don't want to go to Stanford with a tardy on your record."

"I already got in, so it doesn't matter anymore," he said as he walked out of the office.

He had just barely gotten to class when the bell rang. He sat in his seat and started thinking. He had a choice to make: Stanford or hunting. If he chose hunting, he'd give up on ever having a future, but if he chose Stanford, there was a chance he'd be giving up his family. He could live without seeing John, but he needed Dean in his life.

He had a choice to make.

\---

Eventually, he made his decision, and he wrote to Stanford letting them know that he would be attending the fall semester.

In the end, he made his choice during a hunt. It was a werewolf. The thing had almost taken a bite out of him. If it wasn't for Dean's quick shooting, Sam would have been a goner. He realized that he didn't want to spend the rest of his life trying not to die, that he wanted to actually live.

Now he just had the challenge of telling his family. He knew Dean would probably be supportive, but he had no idea how John would react. He just needed to make a plan.

The school year ended. Sam wasn't top of the class: he missed it by 0.001 GPA points. Dean told him that it was better to not be the best because of what they do. "It's better to stay out of the spotlight, Sammy," he said, but Sam knew Dean was just trying to cheer him up, so he just nodded, thanking whatever was out there that Dean was his brother instead of literally anyone else.

The summer dragged on, and Sam still hadn't told his family. He was starting to run out of time. There were two weeks before check-in. Luckily, they were hunting something in Oregon, so they were relatively close to Stanford, considering their last job was in Boston.

When the job was finally over, Sam knew it was now or never. If he was lucky, John would be okay with it, so he kept hoping he would be lucky. He wouldn't even think about what would happen if he wasn't lucky.

"Dad," he started, "I need to talk to you."

John was automatically tense, most likely because they had been fighting a lot recently. Nevertheless, he turned to Sam, "What d'ya need, Sammy?"

He felt like there was cotton in his throat. "Well, at the beginning of the school year, the school I was at required us to apply to at least three colleges..." he faded out.

"And," John asked, pushing.

"And I got into a few of them, Stanford specifically, and I want to go."

John set his jaw, "How long have you been planning on going?"

It's a trap, Sam thought, if he tells the truth, John will get mad at him for keeping the secret, but if he lies and says not until recently, John will insist it doesn't matter. Better honest than have the option taken away from him, he decides. "Couple months," he says, "Since I got the letter."

"And you waited until now to say anything?"

"I didn't know how to bring it up. You're not exactly the most supportive father in the world."

"So what was your plan exactly? Were you just gonna leave me and your brother in the middle of the night and hope we didn't notice?"

"No! I was planning on telling you, I just couldn't figure out how!"

Sam was so focused on John that he didn't realize Dean was still sitting in the corner, watching the scene unfold. He also didn't notice when his and John's hands had balled into fists.

"Doesn't family mean anything to you," John yelled.

"Of course it does! That's why I thought you'd be supportive! Maybe I should have just left in the middle of the night!"

Dean was quick to jump in between them when they got too close. "Stop," Dean yelled, "This is getting out of hand."

Sam started walking away to pack his things when John yelled one final blow, "If you leave, don't come back!"

A small part of Sam felt like he had just been shot, but the rest of him was too mad to care. "Then I guess this is goodbye." With that, he left the room to pack his things.

He should have known Dean would follow him. "Sammy," Dean started, but Sam didn't let him finish.

"Dean, nothing you say is gonna convince me to stay."

"I figured," he said, "I just wanted a proper goodbye."

"I'm sorry, Dean, I really did want to tell you sooner. I just couldn't figure out how."

"Sammy, as far as I'm concerned, I did my job. I took care of my nerd little brother, now you're ready to do your own thing. I'm proud of you. I just wish you and dad hadn't gotten into it."

Sam squared his shoulders. "I didn't start it this time, Dean, he did."

Dean raised his hands in mock surrender. "Would you consider apologizing? 'Cause you know as well as I do he doesn't always mean the things he says when he's heated."

Sam shook his head. "If I go back in there, he's gonna make me stay. He'll chain me to a post or something, so I can't."

Dean nodded. It was quiet for a moment, and Sam thought this was it, but Dean had one more thing, "You better call me regularly so that I know you're okay, and if any monster or ghost comes after you, you better tell me as soon as possible so I can help you."

"You could just come with me," Sam suggested. He knew Dean wouldn't say yes, but what was wrong with a little hope?

"I can't, Sammy. There's not a place for me at Stanford. Besides, one of us has gotta stick around and make sure Dad doesn't go crazy."

Sam laughed and nodded. Dean pulled him into a hug, and if he held on a little longer than normal, it was because he knew he wouldn't be getting another brother hug for a while.

When he finally pulled away, Sam sighed, "I wasn't kidding. You can come with me."

Dean just shook his head, "Your place is there, and mine is here. Go do something great, Sammy."

Sam started toward the door, and Dean called, "Don't be a stranger, bitch."

Sam turned to Dean one last time, "Jerk." With that, he walked out the door.

As Sam walked down the road, he couldn't help but feel happy. He finally got away from John, and for that reason, this was the best night of his life.

Meanwhile, Dean sat down as soon as Sam left. He was happy that Sam was doing something that he wanted for once, but he couldn't fight back the sadness that flooded him. His little brother left him, and for that reason, this was the worst night of his life.


	2. Dean

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Idea from a friend. I felt like I didn’t characterize Dean properly, so my friend suggested I write from Dean’s POV

Dean knew something was up with Sam since his graduation. The kid just wasn’t behaving normally. He seemed more on edge and more iratable than usual. At first Dean thought it had to do with the whole top of the class thing, but Sam didn’t seem to care about that so much, claiming that “Any college that would want me wouldn’t care about my class ranking ‘cause I’d have already been accepted, so class ranks are just for the students.” Dean just figured if it was really important then Sam would talk to him. Sam always told him what was wrong, so why would this time be any different?

\---

After the hunt in Oregon was over, the family sat down in the back room of the house they were squatting in to celebrate success with a beer.

Dean knew something was about to happen because of the look on Sam’s face. Sam would always make the same look whenever he had something on his chest: he would clench his jaw and avoid making eye contact with anyone. Dean could spot it from a mile away. He got used to seeing it before arguments would arise between John and Sam. Sam didn’t always start it, but his “I got something to say” face was always a predecessor.

”Dad,” Sam started, “I need to talk to you.”

 _Here it comes_ , Dean thought. Dean set down his beer, ready to jump in when needed. John has never hit Sam, but there has been some close calls. If Dean hadn’t stepped in, who knows what would have happened.

”What d’ya need, Sammy,” John asked.

Dean could tell Sam was having a hard time with this next part. “Well, at the beginning of the school year, the school I was at required us to apply to at least three colleges.”

”And?” Uh oh. John pushing was never a good sign.

”And I got into a few of them, Stanford specifically, and I want to go.”

Dean’s heart sank. Somewhere in his head, Dean knew that he should be happy for Sam: his little brother got into one of the best schools in the country, Dean couldn’t do that if he wanted to. However, the larger part of him was kind of upset at Sam for this. Dean put so much effort into trying to keep his family together, and Sam was just gonna throw it all away. In that moment, Dean wanted to say something, anything, to convince Sam that leaving was not a good idea, that family was too important to leave, but he could see from the corner he was in that John was killing the chance of Sam staying with every word.

As the yelling picked up, Dean went on high alert. He never let anything happen to Sam and tonight wouldn’t be any different.

John started toward Sam at the same time Sam started toward him. “Maybe I should have just left in the middle of the night,” Sam yelled.

They were too close.

Dean jumped up to get in between them as fast as possible.

”Stop,” he yelled, “This is getting out of hand.”

Sam stepped away. Situation handled, Dean thought. He had this little flicker of hope that maybe he could still convince Sam to stay. Sam’s his nerd little brother, so he’s not giving up without a fight.

Any hope Dean has was mugged and shot in an alleyway when John said one last thing, “If you leave, don’t come back!”

Dean watched Sam walk into the other room as he said, “Then this is goodbye.”

Dean have John a look and shook his head, “Don’t you know when to quit,” he asked before he followed Sam.

“Sammy,” he started when he walked in, but Sam cut him off.

”Dean, nothing you say is going to convince me to stay,” Sam said as if he didn’t realize that his words were a daggar he was plunging into his brother.

”I figured,” _Dad ruined any chance of me fixing things this time_ , but that was left unsaid, “I just wanted a proper goodbye.”

”I’m sorry, Dean, I really did want to tell you sooner. I just couldn’t figure out how.”

Dean took a deep breath. Maybe it wouldn’t be the most truthful thing, but if it granted Sam peace of mind, then he knew what to say. “Sammy, as far as I’m concerned, I did my job,”  _no I didn’t_ , he thought,  _my job was to keep the family together and I failed_ , “I took care of my nerd little brother, now you’re ready to do your own thing,”  _though I really wish you wouldn’t_ , “I’m proud of you,” that part wasn’t a lie, Dean would always be proud of Sam in some way, “I just wish you and Dad hadn’t gotten into it.”

Sam squared his shoulders like he does when he gets defensive, “I didn’t start it this time, Dean, he did.”

Dean raised his hands in mock surrender to try to ease Sam’s mind.

He had to try though, “Would you consider apologizing? ‘Cause you know as well as I do that he doesn’t always mean the things he says when he’s heated.”

Sam shook his head. “If I go back in there, he’s gonna make me stay. He’ll chain me to a post or something, so I can’t.”

Dean wished he could argue with that thought, but he knew his father. It wouldn’t be the first time one of them ended up chained to something to keep them in one place.

Dean finally realized that Sam was not going to stay. It was family v. Stanford. He must have made up his mind a while back. Sam decided that he would go to this school, even if it meant losing contact with Dean for good.

Dean wasn’t about to let that happen. “You better call me regularly so I know you’re okay, and if a monster or ghost comes after you, you better tell me as soon as possible so I can help you.”

”You could just come with me.” His tone was joking, but Dean saw the glimmer of hope in his eye.

 _You could just stay_ , he thought, but he wouldn’t say it.

”I can’t, Sammy. There’s not a place for me at Stanford,” Dean saw the light fade in Sam’s eyes and he felt awful, so more jokingly, just to see Sam smile, he said, “Besides, one of us has gotta stock around and make sure Dad doesn’t go crazy.”

Sam laughed and nodded. Dean pulled Sam into a hug. For a moment, Dean let himself think that maybe he could get away with just never letting go, that way Sam wouldn’t be able to leave, but all too soon, Sam was pulling away.

Sam sighed, “I wasn’t kidding, you can come with me.”

Dean just shook his head. As much as he would love to continue to look after Sam, he knew that he couldn’t. No matter how badly it hurt, Sam was an adult now, and he could take care of himself. Dean didn’t want to see him go, but it was time.

“Your place is there, and mine is here.” It hurt to say, but it was the truth.

Dean figured he had one last shot of big brother encouragement, so he took it, “Go do something great, Sammy.”

Sam smiled and it felt like he was ready to go.

”Don’t be a stranger, bitch,” Dean called before Sam got to the door.

Sam turned to look at his brother one last time, “Jerk.”

With that, Sam left.

Dean sat down as soon as Sam left. He was happy that Sam was doing something that he wanted for once, but he couldn't fight back the sadness that flooded him. His little brother left him, and for that reason, this was the worst night of his life.

Meanwhile, as Sam walked down the road, he couldn't help but feel happy. He finally got away from John, and for that reason, this was the best night of his life.


End file.
